FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT LAURA WILKINSON - PAGE 2

Amy Korthauer says she is a little scared of heights. That didn't stop her from asking Indiana University coach Jeff Huber permission to leap from the 10-meter platform the first day of his diving camp the summer before Korthauer's senior year at Naperville Central High School. No sooner had Korthauer completed her 33-foot plunge than she told Huber, "That was fun. I want to do it again." It was all the coach needed to hear. "You put 1,000 kids up there and maybe one would say it is fun," Huber said.

The serenity that engulfs Laura Wilkinson as she stands poised to plunge off the equivalent of a three-story building, the same calm that allowed her to unseat the world power in women's diving Sunday night, masks an inner and outer pain. The physical ache reveals itself every time Wilkinson clambers up the 10-meter platform and heaves her rubber-soled boot over the side, exposing a right foot that, six months after it was broken in dry-land training, still has bone protruding from its sole.

DALLAS (Reuters) - Faced with the disappointments and setbacks that have plagued Unites States platform diver Brittany Viola many athletes would have given up hope of becoming Olympians. But not Viola who has overcome injuries and an eating disorder to earn the chance to compete at the London Games. The obstacles in Viola's path only strengthened her resolve to earn a spot on the team. With that accomplished, she is banking on her tenacity to power through to the medal platform.

Laura Wilkinson survived a final in which all of the contenders faltered and won the 10-meter platform title at the World Championships in Montreal. It gave the United States its second gold medal of the day; Chip Peterson won the 5-kilometer open water race earlier. Canada, China and the United States were tied atop the medal standings with two golds each after four days.

Mark Ruiz scored a 10 on his last dive Sunday, concluding a 10-meter contest in which the native of Puerto Rico led throughout the six-dive final to clinch a second Olympic berth. Ruiz, 21, of Orlando, became the first American since Greg Louganis in 1988 to win two events at the U.S. trials. He finished first with 1,154.97 points on platform Sunday after winning 3-meter springboard Thursday. David Pichler of Ft. Lauderdale also made the team, finishing second to Ruiz with 1,149.

The Chinese faltered again on the women's 10-meter platform. This time the Australians took advantage--not American Laura Wilkinson. Chantelle Newbery won Australia's first diving gold since 1924. Wilkinson, the defending Olympic champion, finished fifth. "I'm a little bummed," Wilkinson said. "I thought it was going to be like Sydney. It wasn't, but I'm OK with that." Wilkinson was 0.21 points out of a bronze medal after three rounds, but she underrotated on her fourth dive, causing her legs to smack the water.

Who wants to be a millionaire? At least 10 former U.S. Olympic athletes. They competed in Sydney and now they will sit in front of Regis Philbin. Two special Olympic editions of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" will air on ABC Oct. 22 and 24, the network announced Monday. Half of the athletes' winnings will go to a charity -- they can keep the rest. Given NBC's low ratings for the Olympic games, it sets up an interesting test: Will the athletes be seen by more viewers answering Philbin's questions than they were seen in their events?